It's Elemental

I love reading books that are littered with quotes like this.  It makes me feel like I'm on a treasure hunt, and there are gems buried everywhere I look.  This one though?  Super timely for me.

The idea of finding your passion, of being in your element, it's what convinced me that it was time to consider a change.  I've loved my 13 years in the classroom.  I love meeting a new group of kids every September, and crying when we part in June.  I love setting up my room each fall, clean and shiny desks, awaiting eager little brains.  I love watching the light bulbs go off as dendrites are built.

Mostly, though, I love watching kids do things they never thought they'd be able to, things they never knew were even possible.  Most of the time, this involved technology, an element in which I love using to connect with kids.  I love using technology to light up little brains.  Figuratively, of course - no electrodes touching any heads in my room! (arms and legs?  That's a different story, thanks to the MaKeyMaKey, of course!)

So when the opportunity came for me to transition out of the classroom, and into a position that revolves around using technology to help turn on light bulbs for a whole school?  I couldn't pass it up.  And I am SO excited.  I love walking into my new school, the energy is unlike any other I've been to.  I mean, it's hard not to get excited when you enter a building, a school community, that has devoted time, energy, resources, and funding to "inspire a passion for learning... in a warm, innovative, and engaging environment" for all members of the community - teachers and students alike.

They don't just talk the talk - saying they incorporate technology as a tool in all learning areas.  They walk the walk.  They do whatever it takes to support learning in all areas, from providing laptops and iPads to students and teachers, to scheduling time in the innovation hub, to providing recess for ALL (yes, even 6th - 8th grade) students because it's the right thing to do for kids.

Walking into this school, I am in my element.  The passion is palpable.  And I so LOVE what I'm doing!

Summer Reading

I love summer time because I actually have time to read.  Or, I should actually rephrase that.  I have more success making time to read in the summer than during the school year.  Ironically, a good chunk of my summer reading is always school related, and this summer is no different!

I have two books that are required reading for school - and while I read one of them, the second one was new to me.  Mindset, by Carol Dweck, is a book I read a few years ago during my time in Galileo.  It.  Is.  Fabulous.  A true must read for anyone and everyone, even if you're not in education!

The second required book is Creative Schools, by Sir Ken Robinson.  Wow.  I love reading books that both support my perspective and challenge my thinking at the same time.  At this point, I'm seven chapters in and have gathered so many tidbits it's hard to keep track of them.  I am so inspired by the stories shared thus far, as they show that even in the least likely of situations and circumstances, schools, teachers, and most importantly, students CAN and DO succeed.  In a time like this, where education is spending more time under the bus than students spend on the bus, this kind of reading should be required for anyone who has their hand in the ed pool, teachers, politicians, and anyone who makes decisions that impact education!  I'll share more when I've finished.

The second book I'm reading right now (which is actually unusual for me to be reading two books at once!) goes right along with Creative Schools.  I downloaded Digital Leadership by Eric Sheninger to my kindle app right after school ended.  I think part of why I'm actually reading two books at the same time is because they compliment each other SO well.  I'm only three chapters into Digital Leadership, and am so intrigued by the concepts Sheninger shares.  The book is actually more than a year old, but the way it's written isn't time bound by specific technologies.  Instead, it's focusing more on the mindset shift required to bring creative use of digital tools into learning.  Talk about connections!

I leave you with a few quotes from the two books pictured above....

"One mistake has been an overzealous attitude toward technological innovation leading to the undervaluing of existing educational practices." -- Eric Sheninger, Digital Leadership

This quote struck me because it provides extra underlines and exclamation points to a concept already swimming through schools - the fact that it's the TEACHERS that make the experience, not the technology.  Good teaching is about the RELATIONSHIP between students and teachers, not about the tools used.  That's why I think this book will remain relevant for a while.

"...the heart of education is the relationship between the student and the teacher.  Everything else depends on how productive and successful that relationship is."

Yup.  Yes.  And absolutely.  Relationships are key to so much in the world, especially in education.   I can't think of a situation, anywhere, that wasn't enhanced by a positive relationship.  From my doctors to the server at my favorite restaurant, relationships are forged over time, making the experiences that much better.

Reading Garden

I love my classroom.  I've been in this exact room for 12 years.  Yep, 12 years.  A half of a year spent student teaching.  One third of a year spent in a long term placement.  And ten years calling the room my very own.  (Reader's Digest Version: Student taught in what is now my room, followed by a year and a half of being the building sub, before I got hired into my same room!)

Anyway.  The room used to be windowless.

The Original Reading Garden

Well, that's not entirely true.  It had one tiny window, about two feet by three feet, that I dubbed "the drive thru" as you couldn't leave it open for any amount of time or it would create a wind tunnel.  Because of the lack of natural views, I turned my reading corner into a garden, alas, the reading garden.    I built a white picket fence, lined it with fabric that looked like grass, and mounted it on a wall where there were beautiful blue clouds covering the ugly brick.

Wait.  It gets even better.

I was gifted a beautiful wooden park bench (thank you Original Thinkers!) which only added to the park like setting already blooming.  Then, I bought a tree.  (Not a real one, mind you, cause my black thumbs would have killed it in a month!)  And after weeks of searching, I finally found a stone rug.  Or, more like, I made a stone rug.

It was a beautiful, relaxing, peaceful setting that everyone who visited absolutely loved.

Then, things changed.

Step 2: add the grays

Step 1: purple stones

Last summer, I got REAL windows.  Ones that open.  Like, with screens and everything!  They're awesome!  I love the natural light!  Finally!

Except..... it meant a MAJOR room re-arrangement.  Potentially eliminating the garden.....

Step 3: accent grays

Thankfully, with a bit of creative thinking, garden removal didn't have to happen!  Instead, it underwent a mega overhaul, complete with two brand new bookshelves!  With all the changes, I had to create a new stone rug that would fit the modified space.  Back to Home Depot for a four foot by five foot canvas drop cloth I went!  Here's the outcome:

The new Reading Garden! (Park bench relocated by the math corner)

There's still lots to organize, as with the two new bookshelves (tall ones!) I was able to add about 400 more books to an already overcrowded library..... but hey, that'll be part of the fun, having the kids organize the new and improved Reading Garden!